


Happy Birthday, Pizza Dog!

by hopelessly_me



Category: Marvel
Genre: Alpine is not a fan, Fluff, Lucky is definitely a fan, M/M, all the cake, amused Bucky, birthday celebration, excited Clint, party hats
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-06-08
Updated: 2020-06-08
Packaged: 2021-03-04 02:54:18
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,386
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24606517
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/hopelessly_me/pseuds/hopelessly_me
Summary: Clint likes to go all out when celebrating Lucky's birthday. This year he decided he wanted to add something new to the mix.
Relationships: James "Bucky" Barnes/Clint Barton
Comments: 29
Kudos: 76





	Happy Birthday, Pizza Dog!

**Author's Note:**

> Shout out to Mags and Bobbi for their encouragement and forming ideas. <3 I hope it hits the mark.

“I cannot believe I am dating you,” Bucky said as he leaned against the wall, smirking as he watched Clint.

“I’m not sure if I should take that as an insult or not so… I can’t believe it either?” Clint replied, sounding just a little bit unsure.

Bucky had watched Clint for the last hour, hanging up streams in every color, because of course he would over buy streamers just so he could have them in every color. He had made a background with them and hung up a large happy birthday sign, and Bucky couldn’t believe he was dating this man that took so much care and effort into a birthday party for his dog. It was mostly a mess, Bucky knew if he dragged Steve up here that he would see the man’s eyes twitch from the unevenness of it all, but Clint looked so proud of the work he had done that Bucky couldn’t find the energy in him to tease Clint at all.

It wasn’t like Bucky was surprised. This was the third time he had been around for one of Lucky’s birthday celebrations. He hadn’t understood it at first, he still didn’t quite get it, but it made his boyfriend happy so he went along with it. He knew that Lucky’s “birthday” was the day Clint had rescued him, or Lucky rescued Clint- all depends on the story. In a way, Bucky liked this little celebration out of Clint; Clint wouldn’t celebrate his birthday, said there was no point to it, but boy did he go all out for his dog. And slipping Lucky a present was close enough to slipping Clint a present.

“What do you think?” Clint asked excitedly when he was done.

“It looks magical,” Bucky said, tugging Clint into a kiss. “Lucky better appreciate this effort.”

“He’ll appreciate it even better when the pizza comes,” Clint answered with a grin before he kissed Bucky once more. “Hey! Want to help me make two cakes? One for us, and one for Lucky? I got a box mix that’s dog friendly so you won’t yell at me.”

“Aw, you are learning,” Bucky teased, tucking a hand into Clint’s back pocket. “What do I get out of it?”

“Cake?” Clint asked. Bucky snorted. “You get to watch me struggle to frost them?” Bucky waited it out before Clint whimpered.”You can lick the bowl.”

“Now we’re on the same page,” Bucky said.

While licking the bowl was probably frowned upon, it was something Bucky didn’t really care about. Back when he was a kid, it was normal. Anyway, as far as he was concerned, he probably couldn’t get sick off of it. And while Bucky would be concerned about Clint getting sick from it, he had seen him eat much, much worse. The best part of licking the batter was Clint giving him puppy dog eyes the whole time until he shared a spoon.

“I know you probably think it’s stupid,” Clint said after a minute. “But I dunno. I promised Lucky that if he lived through surgery I’d give him the best life and well…”

“I don’t think it’s stupid. I think it’s endearing and charming. Perfectly you,” Bucky assured him. “It makes you happy, it definitely makes Lucky happy, so I guess it better make me happy.”

Clint’s lip twitched up to a smirk for a moment before he looked over at the table. “Alpine! Hey!”

Bucky’s head snapped over before he cracked up laughing. Alpine had jumped on the table, getting as close to the streamers as he possibly could, and was trying to bat at them. He came close a few times, his paws flying out to catch them. Clint had jumped down and was collecting Alpine, ushering him off the table and grabbing a toy to try to distract Bucky’s cat.

Bucky’s second favorite thing about Lucky’s birthday was watching Clint decorate the cake, and this year there were two. Despite what Clint said, he was actually good at it. Clint had told Bucky the story before, when Bucky first discovered Clint’s hidden talent, and now every time Clint decorated cakes or cookies, Bucky liked to sit by and watch the magic.

After three hours, and two large pizzas being consumed between two humans and a dog that could really pack some pizza crust away, Bucky was slumping down on the couch and thinking about unbuttoning his jeans. Clint was somewhere, Bucky could hear him digging around for something, and Bucky really wondered how the hell he could be moving after putting away the amount of food he did.

“Ready?” Clint asked, coming out with the biggest grin on his face. Bucky lowered his eyes from Clint’s face to his hands and groaned. “Don’t make me beg, Buck. We both know I will do it until you cave.”

“Party hats? Really?” Bucky asked.

“Do it for the Pizza Dog!” Clint cheered. “Lucko- come here buddy!” Of course Lucky would betray Bucky. He trotted over, his tail wagging, and sat on command. Clint was cooing at the one-eyed mutt as he put the party hat on, Lucky’s tongue lolling out the one side. “Okay, go show Bucko, Lucko.”

“You are so weird,” Bucky said with a laugh. He bent over when Lucky excitedly ran over to him as if he wanted to show off the party hat. “And you are even weirder,” he said, running his fingers through Lucky’s fur. “So we good?”

“Nope! Got one more surprise!” Clint said excitedly, setting their hats down before he pulled the smallest birthday hat out Bucky had ever seen. “I ordered one online for Alpine! I didn’t want him to feel left out.”

Bucky blinked a few times, his brain playing catch up. “I, uh- I’m not so sure that’s a good idea, sweetheart. I don’t think cats enjoy party hats. Hell, I don’t think most dogs do. Your dog is just… weird.”

“Oh come on! Alpine will love it!” Clint said with confidence. “Alpine! Here kitty!” he called, walking towards the window sill. 

Bucky stood up and crossed his arms, just waiting for the disaster to happen. It started out well. Clint set the hat next to Alpine to sniff as he hit all the right spots- rubbing behind the white cat’s ear first before stroking his back several times, Alpine making happy little mews in response. It wasn’t until Clint picked the cat up and tried to get the strap of the cat under Alpine’s chin that the cat began to yowl and protest the notion. 

As amusing as it was to watch Clint scramble to hold onto Alpine, it was less amusing when Alpine leapt down and made a beeline for Bucky. Alpine leapt and attached to Bucky’s pants first before nosing his way under Bucky’s hoodie. Bucky automatically wrapped his arms around the bottom, giving Alpine a nice ledge to perch on inside his hoodie. It was self-preservation really- Bucky didn’t want claws digging into his abdomen and chest. Both men stood absolutely still for a minute.

“Aww,” Clint whined before stepping forward.

Bucky took one step back. “If you even _think_ you are going to try that with the cat in my hoodie you are wrong. If Alpine claws me, you are in so much trouble you’ll be begging’ Natasha to save you.”

“But babe! He’s gotta be in the pictures,” Clint whined in protest.

“I have lived through hell, Clint. I am not dying today because you want to put a hat on Alpine,” Bucky said flatly. “Now… let’s sit down, sing to the dog, eat some cake, and take the photos.”

Clint pouted because of course he did, but he easily pushed it aside to continue the party. They turned the lights down and Clint got his camera out to record the song. And while Bucky’s heart melted just watching the sheer joy on Clint’s face, it was in a puddle when Lucky happy ate his cake. Alpine peeked his little head out of the top of Bucky’s hoodie and Bucky gathered a bit of icing onto his finger before he held it out. After two sniffs, Alpine greedily lapped up what icing he could before Clint noticed him. As soon as Clint looked over, Alpine disappeared into Bucky’s hoodie again.

“Your cat is a traitor,” Clint muttered.

“My cat loves you. Just not when it comes to tiny hats,” Bucky answered, shoveling a piece of cake in his mouth. “So good. I want more.” He leaned up and Clint smacked his hand with his fork. “Hey!”

“Hell no. You know what is going to happen?” Clint asked. “You are going to eat more cake like you ate more pizza, and then you are going to whine that you are too full. And then you are going to unbutton your pants, and mope about being fat. And _then_ you know what happens?” Clint asked. Bucky gave a defiant look because he knew what Clint was going to say, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to admit to it. “Tomorrow you are going to wake up like nothing happened. Nothing. You know how insulting that is?”

“I would say become a super soldier… but I really don’t recommend it,” Bucky mused. “It goes one of two ways. You become a Steve, or you go through years of torture to gain this body.”

Clint narrowed his eyes for a moment just to drive his point in. “I already have to work out for, I don’t know, eight hours to work off that pizza and this cake. You know what _you_ get to do?”

“Sleep?”

“Sleep. Asshole.” Clint started to smile. “So… going to insult me more by eating more cake?”

“No sir.” Clint’s face was starting to break out into it’s typical smile. Bucky felt his face doing the same before he laughed. Clint leaned over and kissed Bucky before he licked his lips. Bucky, naturally, looked appalled. “You mean to tell me I had stray icing on my lips and you didn’t tell me?”

“Oh please, don’t act like you didn’t do that on purpose,” Clint laughed. Bucky held up his hands in the tradition you caught me sign, not bothering to cover up his smirk. “You’re terrible, Barnes. Absolutely the death of me, terrible.”

“Mhhh, you love it.” Bucky reached out and plucked a party hat from the table and fitted it on his head. “So what do you say, babe?” he asked. “Should we look like idiots, take photos with Lucky, maybe have an Alpine guest appearance, and watch YouTube videos of dogs and cats?”

“You are officially less terrible, and now have been ranked up to best boyfriend ever,” Clint answered. “Lucky! Come on, boy!” Bucky watched as Clint got up and walked to the wall he had specifically decorated for this purpose, fixing Lucky’s hat while talking to him softly.

They situated themselves on either side of Lucky and leaned in. Bucky tried to boost Alpine up, tried to encourage him to poke his nose out at the very least. Then they both smiled, wrapping their arms around Lucky, and laughing and smiling through the photos. Bucky knew at some point Alpine did at least pop his head out enough where ears and eyes should be visible. When Clint realized it he gleefully snapped more pictures, talking in baby talk as he did so to both pets. Per tradition, they took one kiss photo, which was naturally ruined by Lucky tucking is nose up between them.

“Alright, you start cleaning up. I am going to coax Alpine out of my hoodie and then I’ll set up the YouTube,” Bucky said, getting up.

“I need to take Lucky out,” Clint said, getting up with a groan. “Bucky, babe, boo-bear- don’t ever get old. Or, I mean, older.”

Bucky nudged Clint forward roughly with his foot before he forced himself to get up. “I am going to put my fat pants on.” Clint flipped him off as he took his own hat off. He called Lucky over and took the hat off. “Hey Clint?”

“Hm?” He looked over with that easy smile that Bucky loved a little too much.

“Love you.”

Clint smiled even more and looked away. “Yeah. Love you too,” he said, clipping Lucky to his leash.

Within two hours, Lucky had been taken outside for the last time that night. Their apartment had been cleaned, the leftover cake put away, and they had curled up on the couch together, watching whatever videos YouTube presented them with. Clint tucked himself against Bucky’s side, his legs pulled up and his head on Bucky’s shoulder. Bucky had one hand on Lucky, and the other was on Clint’s foot, squeezing occasionally. Clint practically cooed at every dog that came on the television, his face lighting up in absolute delight with every tiny mew or every puppy learning to howl. Bucky was pretty sure he had watched Clint’s face more than he had watched the videos.

Out of the corner of his eye, Bucky caught something shiny when the television light turned just bright enough. His smile got a little bigger and he squeezed Clint’s foot a few times. “Sweetheart,” he whispered. Clint turned his head up to look at Bucky, then looked at the corner when Bucky tilted his head. “I think Alpine just wanted one of our hats instead.”

Alpine was in his bed, which was really one of Clint’s old, worn out sweatshirts he had declared as his own, and was sleeping peacefully. His body was tucked around what looked to be Lucky’s party hat, his back feet planted on the inside of the hat and his front paws wrapped around the top of the hat. Alpine’s head was at a weird tilt, as if he fell asleep while rubbing himself against the pompom on top. 

Bucky had never heard Clint make that squeal before. It was straining as Clint tried to keep it in, as he tried not to wake Alpine up, while still being high pitched and drawn out. He looked pleadingly at Bucky until Bucky caved and grabbed his phone, taking a few pictures.

“Good birthday?” Bucky asked, looking at Clint after he put his phone away.

“Best birthday,” Clint agreed before snuggling in again.


End file.
